UPDATE ON THE OPEN ACCESS REGIME FOR THE USE OF THE TAZAMA PIPELINE.
Highlights from the press briefing held by the Energy Permanent Secretary Mr. Peter Mumba on the fuel situation in the currently.
✅ The country currently has sufficient petroleum and diesel stock hence there is no need to panic.
✅ Government through TAZAMA pipelines is still in the process of implementing the open access through the competitive bidding process that is at award stage.
✅ It is important to note that 100% of Petroleum products are delivered by road while 80% of Diesel products are transported through the TAZAMA pipeline.
✅ Government’s desire in as far as the price of fuel is concerned is to have cheap fuel in the country for better economic development.
✅ In this regard, oil marketing companies willing to supply cheap fuel into Zambia are very much welcome.
✅ Government through the Ministry of Energy has received and permitted a number of firms to supply low Sulphur gas oil through the TAZAMA pipeline.
✅ As an interim measure, as we wait for the full implementation of the open access regime, the nominations to supply diesel using the pipeline have been done in line With clause 6 of the TAZAMA pipeline open access guidelines for the transportation of low Sulphur gasoil.
✅ Further, it is important to note that the supply of white petroleum products is a matter of national security and the Ministry of Energy must ensure that there is always security of supply.
✅ To this effect, when security of supply is threatened, the Minister of Energy is empowered under the energy act to take all necessary measures to ensure that security of supply is maintained at all times
✅ On the matter of quarterly price reviews, Government wishes to indicate that the matter is still actively under review.